Sunil Gavaskar has slammed several foreign players for opting out of the initial phase of the Indian Premier League 2026, accusing them of taking the league’s hospitality for granted and urging franchises to take a stricter stance.
Several high-profile absentees will miss the opening games. Australian trio Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc will be unavailable for the first three games due to health concerns, with Cricket Australia reportedly managing their workload amid a demanding schedule. Meanwhile, Lockie Ferguson will also miss some games as he spends time with his newborn son.
In his Sportstar column, Gavaskar did not hold back in his assessment of the situation, pointing out what he believes is a recurring problem with certain foreign players.
“There is also the usual problem of taking the franchise for granted with some foreign players, who are not going to be available due to personal and non-injury related reasons,” Gavaskar wrote. “Franchise owners go to great lengths to accommodate their players, often paying for families to come and spend time with the players at no cost to the millionaire players, mind you. It’s the Indian way and hospitality, which is often misinterpreted by some as a right and then try to take advantage of the situation,” he added.
He also warned that such a late unavailability alters the balance and planning of the team, and asked the franchises to take firm measures.
“We are already hearing about some players who will not be available for a variety of reasons, none of which were informed before they were selected by the franchise. Unless the franchise owners start to get tough and rule out these players, they will be hampered in their efforts to win the title. All the planning to build the team they believe can help them win is lost when the players decide to come whenever they want,” he said.
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Gavaskar’s comments reflect similar concerns raised by others in the cricket fraternity. Aakash Chopra recently criticized Ferguson’s absence, while Ravichandran Ashwin suggested that Kolkata Knight Riders should consider reducing the value of Cameron Green’s contract if he is unable to bowl during the season.
With IPL 2026 about to begin, the debate over player availability and franchise planning is back in the spotlight.